Fireside Memoir
by Chezni
Summary: A short story about Wilson's struggle to survive against the encroaching winter. Would love some feedback on what people think; what worked and what didn't. Thanks for reading!


Night is coming.

I huddled myself closer to my campfire, shivering as the crisp dusk breeze bit at my skin. I managed to gather a few pinecones, twigs and grass to keep the fire going; that should last me through the night. As I lost myself in the flickering fire, I heard the hounds baying in the distance but I no longer cared; let them come. Just as the thought crossed my mind, my stomach clenched and growled at me and I squeezed my eyes shut in pain. I very carefully pulled out a few berries from my pouch, afraid that they may accidentally get squashed in my desperation.

I held them out in front of me.

Three.

I had three measly little berries to show for my foraging today; just enough to keep me breathing for another day, as always. Every day, it's always the same: find just enough food to get me through a day but never enough to subdue the pain. I carefully roasted a berry over the top of the weak flame and put it in my mouth, savouring the taste as I looked out towards the horizon. It was getting dark, fast. I threw my stack of pinecones onto the fire and bundled my Breezy Vest closer to my skin. It was the one bit of luck I have had in the last few days, as I found a lone Koalefant Trunk in the snow on the day previous. With the abundance of silk I managed to get from my early days of spider hunting, I managed to create the first bit of warm clothing I've ever had…but would it be enough? I sighed at the thought, though; what poor koalefant had to die for me?

I stared into the fire drearily. _'That's the law out here. Kill or be killed.'_

I struggled to force those thoughts from my mind as the night drew in around me. The flames of my campfire flickered softly, lulling me into slumber. I only dozed off for a few minutes, though, as the sounds of unknown creatures scurrying in the night jarred me constantly awake. I threw some twigs onto the flames to keep them alive and finished my last two berries.

'_I'll never rest fully with a growling stomach…'_ I hoped I made the right choice; one wrong move could mean my last.

My eyes slowly started to close once more as I tried desperately to conserve some energy. Just as always though, I awoke minutes later but this time I was greeted by red, glowing eyes in the shadows across from me. It wasn't the first time I had seen them there, waiting for me. Always watching but never moving; I was no longer afraid of them. Those eyes became a constant companion to me at night, though I was still unsure if the beast those eyes belonged to were friend or foe…or if they really existed at all. The eyes would often disappear just as quickly as they had emerged and I often saw shadowy apparitions crawling across the grass during the morning hours, leaving me confused. It was always so fleeting; how could I be sure what was real anymore? These spirits were impossible for me to touch and yet they seemed to follow me nefariously, their misshapen faces snapping at me from bodies of indescribable horror. Was I losing my mind?

*Grumble*.

I awoke to the feeling of pain deep inside my stomach. I clenched my arms around it tightly and did my best to wait it out but this one felt different; maybe my time was up. I groaned loudly to the dying flames before me, staring fiercely at the ground as I concentrated on survival. _'This can't be the end!'_

That's when the hand came back. A shadowy claw had emerged from the darkness and was inching its way towards my campfire, once again hoping to enclasp it in its grip and snuff out my only source of light. Angrily I crawled towards it and it shrunk away momentarily at my presence, although it continued its attempted route all the same. I stared at it with heavy eyes as it slowly made its way towards me again but something was different this time. I saw a hint of colour in the darkness behind it and I looked towards the source of the clawed apparition.

Wendy. She looked at me with a warm smile, her hand outstretched in much the same way as the gnarled shadow that desired my light. As I gazed at my old friend I saw others start to emerge beside her; it was Wolfgang and Willow, who now stood rigid beside Wendy, nodding at me. They tried to speak but I could not hear them; even the rumbling of my stomach was a dull noise in my ears.

"What happened to you guys…where did you go?" I whispered towards their figures and they exchanged short glances between each other.

Wendy reached her hand out of the darkness towards me and I shakily raised mine towards her. As I reached out desperately the shadowy claw inched closer and then suddenly it was all around me.

Then there I was, standing with my friends in the shadows as I watched my frail body limply fall to the ground in a heap. Wendy's hand continued to reach towards what used to be my campfire and she clenched her fist as the shadowy claw engulfed the light. I was surrounded by darkness now as Wolfgang put his arm on my shoulder and I saw Wendy smile.

"More will come," she said, "more will come."


End file.
